Reader’s Question:

If the rental company, Fairfield, California, is the registered owner of a car and that car is rented out and got involved in crash, who is responsible for the damages?

carl

Fairfield, CA

Generally, when renting a vehicle from a rental company in Fairfield California the individual usually signs a form stating that the renter will be held liable for damages caused to the car. It include damages to other automobiles caused by the renter and if they were at-fault in the accident.

According to the CA Department of Insurance when renting a car, the car rental companies hold the renter liable under the rental agreement for damage to their car. It is also noted that the rental agency will offer a Damage Waiver for an additional cost.

So if a waiver is not bought, review your own car insurance policy to find out if any extension of coverage will be applied. In addition, know how the liability coverage afforded by your car insurance policy applies in case you are found at fault in an accident with the rented automobile.

You may not need to purchase auto insurance from the rental vehicle if your own personal auto insurance coverages will cover the rental vehicle.

Tags: auto insurance, rental car insurance

Reader’s Question:

If someone hits my vehicle and needs to go into the repair shop for five days. Does the other party pays for my rental car while my vehicle is in body shop.? I live in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Phil

Indianapolis, IN

Insurance provider’s car insurance policy terms and guidelines vary as well as state laws. You will have to verify with the at fault driver’s insurance provider’s agent or claim department to determine if you are going to be provided with a rental vehicle while your automobile is being fixed.

Most property damage liability insurance policies permit at least a certain amount for you to rent a car while you are without your vehicle since it is being repaired however it will really depend upon the your insurance policy’s terms on what you are permitted. Other than talking to the insurance carrier handling the car insurance claim you may want to check what Indiana insurance laws tells about this kind of situation, if they have any specific insurance laws with regards to rental vehicle reimbursement, by trying to contact the Indiana Department of Insurance.

Tags: auto insurance, rental car insurance

Reader’s Question:

I rented a car and declined their insurance since I had credit card insurance in Kansas City Kansas. However, I made a mistake of not initiating the rental in that credit card. While driving the rental car, the tire blew out and the car hit the median. There was some extensive damage to the car and I’m in deep trouble now as my credit car insurance will not work. Is there any way that I can be saved from this situation, please help?

Anna

Kansas City, KS

Your credit card insurance in Kansas City, Kansas isn’t auto liability insurance and it doesn’t alleviate your responsibility to have it. And you don’t insure any of your own cars or home owner’s policy so if I were you, I would be calling my insurance agent quickly. Or I would hire an attorney to sue the car rental company for allowing you to drive a defective car.
My insurance automatically covers every vehicle that I drive in excess to the owner’s insurance so I’m fully insured on rentals.

If you don’t have auto insurance yourself or if your policy does not extend to rental cars then your only option is to make a payment arrangement for the damage to the rental vehicle yourself. By refusing the coverage with the rental agency and not using a credit card that provides the coverage, you accepted the entire risk yourself. Sorry, but I think there’s no way around that for the most part.

You may have a case to claim that the vehicle was not in safe operating condition due to the defective tire. Therefore the damage is because of the rental company’s negligence. That would only apply if you didn’t do anything that could have damaged the tire in the first place such as hitting a pothole or curb.

I strongly suggest consulting with a local attorney to see if there’s any to claim negligence on the rental company as a defense.

Tags: auto insurance, rental car insurance

Reader’s Question:

My son is leaving Ireland tomorrow to fly to San Diego California. He has rented a car to drive in Seattle - everything appears to be arranged. But I want to make sure he has adequate car insurance that’s needed and required; he is over 25 years and has normal travel insurance.

Meryl

San Diego, CA

There are many credit card companies that will cover insurance requirements if you use their credit card to rent a car. I suggest that your son should check first with his credit card carrier before he leaves Ireland since once your son is here he’ll be pressured to sign up for every bit of insurance he can buy, whether he needs it or not. Rental car companies make tons of money this way.

Anyone who’s renting a car in the US from overseas will be able to purchase all the insurance he needs through a car rental company; both liability and collision. He’ll be completely covered if he asks for total insurance coverage but he needs at least liability insurance to get a rental car. All rental car companies would offer various types of insurance and waivers that broaden your liability protection and that can relieve you of the responsibility of paying for a wrecked rental. Anyways, rental car insurance by any name will cover you just the same. Having more is always preferred, but I think that’s the minimum. That means you’ll be protected from having to pay costly repair bills if you damage the rental company’s property.

To make sure that you get the best rates available in San Diego California for rental car insurance, it’s always advised to shop around; that’s your best protection.

Tags: auto insurance, rental car insurance

Reader’s Question:

My car is in a repair shop. My work demands me to be driving almost all the time. So, it’s a necessity for me to rent a car while my car is being repaired. My question is, am I still protected by my insurance even if I drive a rental car in Amherst New York?

Olivia

Amherst, NY

I assume that you have a liability insurance policy because this is mandated by New York Law. So, with your liability coverage, this covers you for property damage and bodily injury. But you must remember this applies only on the “excess” basis. Let’s say you had a vehicular accident, the insurance company provided by the rental car will pay for the damage up to their specified limits. If there are any excess damages that resulted from that accident, then your insurance policy will cover for that.

You must remember that as the driver of the rental car, you may be held fully liable for the damages incurred to the rental car, unless you purchased an optional vehicle protection from the rental vehicle company, have insurance coverage from your insurance policy or from your credit card.

Check with your auto insurance agent in Amherst, NY for more information on insurance policy. You can also get information about rental car through websites also.

Tags: auto insurance

Reader’s Question:

I’m going to Honolulu, Hawaii for a vacation, is car insurance required or just optional if I rent a car?

Frank

Honolulu, HI

Car insurance coverage while renting a car in Honolulu, Hawaii is optional. The reason for this is that you may already be covered while traveling through your current car insurance. In general, when you rent a car, the liability coverage limits you have with your own car insurance policy remain in effect with the same limits.

Hawaii is a no fault state, which means that in the occurrence of an accident each driver’s medical expenses will be covered by their own insurance company, regardless of who was at fault. Each driver must carry PIP (personal injury protection) coverage which will cover their medical expenses in case of a car accident. In the state of Hawaii, every car owner, bus or truck owner must have car insurance in order to register or operate a vehicle. Any person who violates any applicable provision of the Hawaii car insurance law will be subject to citation for such violation. Each violation shall be charged a separate offense and shall be subject to a fine not to exceed $5,000 or thirty (30) days of imprisonment, or suspension of motor vehicle operator’s license, or forfeiture of motor vehicle certificate of registration, or any combination of such penalties.

Tags: auto insurance